Wool Rug Appraisal since 1881.

Wool quality is one of the largest single drivers of a wool rug's appraised value — and one of the most often overlooked by inexperienced appraisers. The same rug design, the same knot count, and the same regional origin can produce wildly different valuations depending on the wool used to weave it. Hand-spun Persian wool from a 1920s Heriz appraises at a meaningful premium over machine-spun New Zealand wool of similar gauge in a contemporary piece — because the wool itself is different, and the market recognizes the difference.

Fred Remmers Rug Cleaners has been valuing wool rugs since 1881. Four generations of family training. Our wool appraisal methodology evaluates fiber type (handspun versus machine-spun), fiber length and irregularity (longer staple typically values higher), lanolin content (higher-lanolin wool indicates better quality and longer-lived rugs), wool color and dye absorption (older natural-dyed handspun has distinctive characteristics), and condition factors specific to wool (lanolin loss from improper cleaning is a permanent value reducer). All of this feeds into a written USPAP-compliant report accepted by every major insurance carrier and by courts.

We appraise every wool construction: hand-knotted oriental wool rugs, hand-tufted designer wool, machine-made wool, wool flat-weaves, and specialty wools (Tibetan highland, merino, traditional handspun). Each construction has different value drivers, and our reports distinguish between them clearly. For any wool rug being scheduled on insurance, settled in estate or divorce, or sold above $1,000, formal appraisal is typically warranted. For lesser pieces, we'll tell you honestly when an appraisal isn't economically justified.